Method of making heads for drums and other musical instruments.



A. D. CONVERSE. METHOD OF MAKING HEADS FOR DRUMS AND OTHER MUSlJAL'INSTRUMENTS. APPLSCATIUN HLED IUNE 2 1916.

Patent-ed Apr. 3, 1917 Conberse,

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

ATHEBTON D. CONVERSE, OF WINCHENDON, MJiSSACHUSE'I-TS.

' METHOD OF MAKING HEADS FOR DRUMS AND OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application flled June 2,1916. Seria1 No.101,854.' V

cal Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the methods of making drum heads.

The object of the invention is the production of a toy drum which may bemanufactured at reduced cost and which will have greater rigidity thanthe drums now in general use.

The invention consists in providing each head with-a cup-shaped portionadapted to lit over the barrel of a drum and securing to the cylindricalflange formed thereon, an outwardlyextending tuck hoop such as a cord,against which the stay hoop fitted over said peripheral flange isadapted to be po sitioned.

' Theinvention further consists in certain =novel features ofconstruction and arrangeraent'of parts which will be fully understoodby-referenc'e to the description of the drawings and tothe claimshereinafter given.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention one preferredform thereofis illustratedun thedrawings, this form having been-found to givesatisfactory and reliable herein shown and described.

Of the drawings: Figure '1 represents a vertical section of a drumembodying the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 2represents a plan of a head thereof. Fig. 3represents a slam ofthe heat'l with the truck hoop or cor secured thereto.

Fig. -1 represents a section on line H on Fi 3. i a

ig. 5 represents a vertical section of the Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

dies used for forming a cylindrical depres sion in the head, a headbeing shown in section therein alter the completion of the stampingoperation, and

Fig. 6 represents a section showing the cup-shaped head positioned in astay hoop preparatory to being positioned over the end of the barrel ofthe drum.

Similar charicters designate like 'arts throughout the several figuresof the raw? ings. i

In the drawir gs, 10 is a -metal barrel having its ends turned inwardlyas at ll-to form arounded inwardly extending flange, preferablycylindrical in cross section, as shown in the drawings. Over each-end10f the barrel 10 is' a cup-shaped head 12 of skin, tough' paper, oi anysimilar material having a cord 13 secured to the cylindricalportion-thereof adjacent to the edge. This cord is preferably formed oftwisted fiber, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, said fiberpreferably being of the samematerial and color as the material fromwhichflthe cup-shaped head'12 isformed.

The cord of twisted fiber is secured to the head 12 by means of a row ofstitches 14.

This cord extending outwardly from the pe ripheralportion of the head 12forms a shoulder against. which rests the inner ends of the. stay hoops15. These stay hoops 15", are preferably formed of metal with theiropposite edges turned inwardly and inclosing'a reinforcing member 16' ofpastebbard or some similar material. The inwardly extending ed shown inli igs. -1 and fi-of the drawiri" Each stay hoop 15 is'provided with arality of openin gs 11 therethrough adapted es are preferably curved as"to receive the mrds 18 by which the stay hoopsmay be drawn toward eachother in y the usual manner, thereby caus'in the heads 12 to be firmlystretched over t e rounded edges of the flanges 11 at either end of thebarrel 10. I

In making the heads 12 a. circular blank 19 is out out, as indicated in,Fi 3 of the drawings, and then by means 0 a row of stitches '14 the eord13 of twisted fiber is secured to one :iace thereof adjacent to the edgeof said blank, all as shown in Figs. 3'

and 4 ofthe drawings. The blank 19 with the cord 13 secured to one facethereof is then placed cord side down upon a die plate 20 and subjectedto pressure of a male die 21 which causes a depression to be formed .inthe centerof the head 12, as indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. \Vhenthus shaped, the head 12 is adapted to be fitted over the endofithbarrel '10.

' head when thus formed into a cup shape with the cords 13 extendingoutwardly from'the periphery of the cylindrical portion thereof, isplaced upon a stay hoop 15, as indicated in Fig. 6 of the'drawings, the16 cord or tuckhoop 13 resting upon the upper edge oi each stay hoop 15.The diameter of the depression 22 in each head 12 is the same as thediameter of the barrel 10, and each head supported by the stay hoop isthen placed over an end of the barrel 10. The securing cords 18 are theninserted through the various openings 17, and when the stay hoops 15have been drawn sufficiently toward each other to give the requiredstretch to the heads 12, the cords are secured in position in anyWell-known manner.

By makingthe tuck .hoop 13 of twisted fiber, it has the appearance ofaskin such as -is usually used in the head of a drum. By meansof thisconstruction agreat saving in material is made, for in the constructionof the drum heretofore, the head must be of much greater diameter "sothat its edges may be tucked in around the tuck hoop. \I

By constructing the' drum in the manner herein described, the twistedfiber cord secured to the edges of the head form the tuck hoop, and in asmall sized drum there is ya. saving of at .least.two inches in thediameter of the/blank used to form the head. Obviously this saving inmaterial is of great advantage.

Moreover, in the manufacture of toy 'tioii ofuthejdrum headgit has'beenvery I material not-liaying-su'flicient stretch to perrnit the headitobe drawn over the opposite 1. ends of the, barreL. As aiconsequence, the

'50 tendency has always been for the stay hoop to rest substantially onthe top of the head,

- andthis permits it to beeasily displaced,

which is a greatobjection:

' Oneof th -main-:ob'ects of this invention i in order to stretch thehead over theend -of drums where fiber is used in the construc-'diflicultto fit theheads over thebarrel, the

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the barrel, it was necessary to wet the head. \Vhcn the head while inthis condition was pulled clown over the edge of the barrel, it was veryliable to wear the head thin in spots, especially if there was any roughportion or other obstruction on the edge of the barrel where the headwas drawn over.

By subjecting the blank from which the head is manufactured to pressureand forming it into the cup-shape prior to its being positioned over theend of the barrel, these objections have been entirely overcome.

By providing inwardly projecting curved flanges at each end of thebarrel 10, all danger of injuring the head when in position isprevented.

Heretofore, in the manufacture of toy drums, skilled operators wererequired to pull the edges of the head around the tuck hoop and securesaid edges in position. B means of the method herein described, thisoperation of tucking the edges of the head around. the tuck hoop will beentirely elimi-' nated, making the entire method of forming the drummuch cheaper than the manufacture of the drum in the old way,

Not only is the present method much cheaper than the method heretoforeused, but the head and the stay hoop may be formed entirely bymachinery, and a much more perfect article produced.

The present method is made possible on account of the-ability to usemetal hoops, as heretofore when the wooden hoops were used, thesewouldvary in size and also in shape, and as a consequence it would bealmost impossible to manufacture the heads in the manner hereindescribed.

Owing to the variation in the size and shape of wooden hoops the headswouldnot 105 accurately fit the hoops, and consequently in the formermethod of constructing drums it would always be necessary to fit eachtuck hoopandhead to the "stay hoop.

In the present method of manufacturing 1 0 these drums, all of theseobjections have been entirely obviated: Heretofore, 'in the manufactureof the barrels of drums, it has. been the usual practice to crimp theedges at right angles on a.v hand'machi'ne or mail a. 1 5

wooden hoo around the inside of the oppo site ends of the barrel, saidwooden hoop projecting above the metal barrel.

Both of these methods havefbe'en found in practice to give im erfectresults,-'as it iii- 2 Another advantage of constructing the barrel inthis manner is that the curved edges at either end of the barrel ive aood bearing surface over which tie hea may be turned in the rocess oftightening.

Heretofore 1n the construction of these toy drums, it was necessary todraw the head over a square corner which made the tightening of the headvery diflicult, and afforded considerable opportunity for injury to saidhead.

It is believed that the many advantages of this invention will be fullyunderstood from the foregoing description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The method of making heads for drums and other musical instrumentswhich consists in taking a circular disk of-thin fibrous drum headmaterial, and sewing a cord to one face thereof adjacent the edge.

2. The method of making heads for drums and other musical instrumentswhich consists in taking a circular disk of thin fibrous drum headmaterlal, and sewing a cord of twisted fiber to one face thereofadjacent the ed e.

3. T e method of Ir aking heads for drums and other musical instrumentswhich consists in taking a circular disk of thin fibrous drum headmaterial, sewing a cord to one face thereof adjacentthe edge, andforming said disk under pressure into a cupsh'ape.

4. The method of n aking heads for drums and other musical instrumentswhich consists in taking a circular disk of thin fibrous drumheadmaterial; securing a projecting member to one face and adjacent the edgethereof; and then forming said disk into a cup-shape with saidprojectingmember on the periphery of the cylindrical portion thereof.

Signed by me at WVinchendon, Mass, Worcester county this 27 day of May,1916.

ATHERT( )N D. CONVERSE.

Witnesses:

Com L. SYMON'S, MAURICE I. Ginonnns'r.

